The House with a Clock in Its Walls
Black, more than anyone else, should have been the one to wind up The House with a Clock in Its Walls. Too bad he doesn't…
Keri Russell
-
Free State of Jones (2016)
—
Serena Knight
Godfrey Cheshire -
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
—
Ellie
Matt Zoller Seitz -
Austenland (2013)
—
Jane Hayes
Susan Wloszczyna -
Dark Skies (2012)
—
Lacy Barrett
Peter Sobczynski -
Extraordinary Measures (2010)
—
Aileen
Roger Ebert -
Bedtime Stories (2008)
—
Jill
Roger Ebert -
August Rush (2007)
—
Lyla
Roger Ebert -
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
—
Lindsey
Roger Ebert -
The Upside of Anger (2005)
—
Emily Wolfmeyer
Roger Ebert -
We Were Soldiers (2002)
—
Barbara
Roger Ebert
* This filmography is not intended to be a comprehensive list of this artist’s work. Instead it reflects the films this person has been involved with that have been reviewed on this site.
A Lit Fuse: The History of the Mission: Impossible Franchise
If all blockbuster-sized entertainments were even half as ambitious and ingenious as these films have been, moviegoers would be infinitely better off.
If I Had an Emmy Ballot 2018
What our TV critic would nominate for Emmys for the 2017-18 season.
A Life-Changing Adventure: On the Finale of FX's The Americans
A look back at "The Americans," on the occasion of its series finale last week.
FX's "The Americans" Keeps with Series' Strengths in Final Season
There’s no reason to assume, or even worry, that Fields, Weisberg, and their invaluable lead actors will stumble as they approach the finish line of “The Americans.”
If I Had an Emmy Ballot 2017
The best of the 2016-17 TV season in Emmy ballot form.
The Best Show on TV Returns in “The Americans”
A review of the new season of FX's "The Americans," television's best program.
Bright Wall/Dark Room October 2016: "The Varieties of Religious Experience" by Matt Brennan
An excerpt from this month's edition of online magazine Bright Wall/Dark Room.
If I Had an Emmy Ballot 2016
A TV critic's picks for the best TV of 2015-16.
2016 Summer Movie Preview: A Four-Month, Blockbuster Festival, Part II
A preview of dozens of films coming out this summer.
Living in a Burning House: The Brilliance of “The Americans”
A review of the fourth season of FX's "The Americans."
The Best TV of 2015
The best television programs of 2015.
If I Had an Emmy Ballot 2015
What should be nominated for Emmys this year? Let us guide the way.
FX’s “The Americans” Stakes Claim For Title of Best Current Drama
A TV review of FX's "The Americans".
If I Had An Emmy Ballot 2014
Picks for the best of the 2013-14 television season, in the form of a Dream Emmy ballot.
Fans Descend on Anaheim For WonderCon 2014
Jana Monji reports from WonderCon 2014, including details on The Maze Runner, How to Train Your Dragon 2 & Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
"The Americans" & "The Red Road" Continue Strong Start For TV Drama in 2014
With several new dramas returning or premiering in the next week, Brian Tallerico says The Americans and The Red Road are two to watch.
Keri Russell, Jerusha Hess and Stephenie Meyer discuss "Austenland"
Katherine Tulich sits down with "Austenland" star Keri Russell, writer/director Jerusha Hess, and author Stephenie Meyer, whose company, Fickle Fish Films, produced the film.
#175, July 10, 2013
Marie writes: I've been watching a lot of old movies lately, dissatisfied in general with the poverty of imagination currently on display at local cinemas. As anyone can blow something up with CGI - it takes no skill whatsoever and imo, is the default mode of every hack working in Hollywood these days. Whereas making a funny political satire in the United States about a Russian submarine running aground on a sandbank near a small island town off the coast of New England in 1966 during the height of the Cold War - and having local townsfolk help them escape in the end via a convoy of small boats, thereby protecting them from US Navy planes until they're safely out to sea? Now that's creative and in a wonderfully subversive way....
#174 July 1, 2013
Marie writes: The West Coast is currently experiencing a heat wave and I have no air conditioning. That said, and despite it currently being 80F inside my apartment, at least the humidity is low. Although not so low, that I don't have a fan on my desk and big glass of ice tea at the ready. My apartment thankfully faces East and thus enjoys the shade after the sun has crossed the mid-point overhead. And albeit perverse in its irony, it's because it has been so hot lately that I've been in the mood to watch the following film again and which I highly recommend to anyone with taste and a discerning eye.
Free sample of Ebert Club Newsletter
This is a free sample of the Newsletter members receive each week. It contains content gathered from recent past issues and reflects the growing diversity of what's inside the club. To join and become a member, visit Roger's Invitation From the Ebert Club.
Marie writes: Not too long ago, Monaco's Oceanographic Museum held an exhibition combining contemporary art and science, in the shape of a huge installation by renowned Franco-Chinese artist Huang Yong Ping, in addition to a selection of films, interviews and a ballet of Aurelia jellyfish.The sculpture was inspired by the sea, and reflects upon maritime catastrophes caused by Man. Huang Yong Ping chose the name "Wu Zei"because it represents far more than just a giant octopus. By naming his installation "Wu Zei," Huang added ambiguity to the work. 'Wu Zei' is Chinese for cuttlefish, but the ideogram 'Wu' is also the color black - while 'Zei' conveys the idea of spoiling, corrupting or betraying. Huang Yong Ping was playing with the double meaning of marine ink and black tide, and also on corruption and renewal. By drawing attention to the dangers facing the Mediterranean, the exhibition aimed to amaze the public, while raising their awareness and encouraging them to take action to protect the sea.
#153 January 30, 2013
Marie writes: Kudos to fellow art buddy Siri Arnet for sharing the following; a truly unique hotel just outside Nairobi, Kenya: welcome to Giraffe Manor.
#144 November 28, 2012
Marie writes: Behold a living jewel; a dragonfly covered in dew as seen through the macro-lens of French photographer David Chambon. And who has shot a stunning series of photos featuring insects covered in tiny water droplets. To view others in addition to these, visit here.
(click images to enlarge)
#123 July 11, 2012
Marie writes: club member Sandy Kahn has found some more auctions! Go here to download a free PDF copy of the catalog.
Varieties of Leaves of Grass
May Contain SpoilersAs far as I know, "a mixed bag" is a negative expression, but I think that is an appropriately positive one in case of "Leaves of Grass" (2009) for its seemingly disjointed combination of crime story and philosophy. The movie throws such discrepant stuff into its plot that it could actually make a good shopping list: Latin, marijuana, Socrates, crossbows, poetry, bongs, Heidegger, family, catfish, Whitman, parallel lines, menorahs, swastikas, murder, and so on.
The best art films of 2010
This is the last of my lists of the best films of 2010, and the hardest to name. Call it the Best Art Films. I can't precisely define an Art Film, but I knew I was seeing one when I saw these. I could also call them Adult Films, if that term hadn't been devalued by the porn industry. These are films based on the close observation of behavior. They are not mechanical constructions of infinitesimal thrills. They depend on intelligence and empathy to be appreciated.
They also require acting of a precision not necessary in many mass entertainments. They require directors with a clear idea of complex purposes. They require subtleties of lighting and sound that create a self-contained world. Most of all, they require sympathy. The directors care for their characters, and ask us to see them as individuals, not genre emblems. That requires us to see ourselves as individual viewers, not "audience members." That can be an intimate experience. I found it in these titles, which for one reason or another weren't on my earlier lists. Maybe next year I'll just come up with one alphabetical list of all the year's best films, and call it "The Best Films of 2011, A to Z."
